Alone

•16•

Spencer

    I was awake at dawn. I always was. Honestly it was the only time there was ever really peace and quiet up on deck. I needed to clear my head before one thing, one person consumed all of my thoughts. Lilah. I couldn't stop thinking about her honestly. Thoughts of her- They started to seem like a drug. One I was getting addicted to. I would never admit that I was drowning in thoughts of her. Not out loud at least. Honestly Ella probably knew. I cast a glance at the letter that I'd received earlier that week. Two former members of my crew, Emily and Will, were coming back. They'd left a little over two and a half years ago and had decided to return to the ship. I trusted both of them with my life and had no reason to be upset that they were coming back. Something I did wonder, is how they'd react to Lilah. They both knew me, possibly better better than I knew myself. 

    "Hey pretty boy!" I heard the familiar voice of Emily Sherman call out as I chuckled and stood. She grinned and jokingly bowed. "Hello Captain. Been a while."

    I chuckled. "That it has. It's been what? Two years?"

    "Two years, eight months, 21 days." Will hmmed, sounding amused. They both looked almost the same, though they were a bit taller and their hair was longer than the last time I'd seen either of them. 

    "That long huh?"

    Em chuckled and just hugged me. "That long."

    I heard footsteps on the deck and glanced up, seeing Lilah. She looked tired, like she hadn't slept much. Which I knew she hadn't. She never did.

    Emily let go of me and followed my gaze. "Whose that?" Both her and Will knew every member of my crew so seeing someone new was mildly odd for them. 

    Will looked at Lilah, his head tilting ever so slightly.

    "That's Lilah. She's my uh.. guest." 

    Lilah must have felt the eyes on her, for she turned, immediately moving to step back. 

    I walked over to her, though kept enough distance I wouldn't make her uncomfortable. "It's alright. They're my friends. They won't hurt you." 

    She nodded slightly, glancing around me at Emily and Will before walking towards them quietly and tugging her sleeves down, presumably to hide the random doodles on her skin. I chuckled to myself as I followed her. 

    Emily smiled at her, not the wild grin she usually wore, but rather a soft, kind smile. She must've realized Lilah's nervousness and was trying to help her relax a bit. 

    She gave a small smile back, her hair falling in front of her eyes slightly. 

    I stepped up next to Lilah. "This is Emily," I motioned to her. "And Will."  He nodded, giving a kind smile. 

    Lilah nodded, half wrapping her arms around herself. 

    I looked to my friends. "What brings you two back here anyway?"

    Em chuckled, "Once a pirate, always a pirate." 

    I shook my head, chuckling softly. "Once a musician, always a musician." I corrected. "You two were never pirates. You're musicians." 

 Lilah

    The way he talked to these two seemed so different than how he was with most. I knew it shouldn't have surprised me, but it did. 

    The redheaded girl, Emily, chuckled and smiled, and I realized she'd been playing with a guitar pick the entire time the three had been talking with each other. She leaned into the other boy, Will, and I realized the two were together. 

    "So, aside from you ending up with a pretty girl on your ship, what all has happened since we've been gone?" She asked, humming slightly.

    Spencer chuckled and shrugged. "Eh not much. Got stabbed."

    "Okay so we're not going to just breeze over that- When did you get stabbed?"

    "I had gone into a town with Lilah and someone followed us. So I told her to run and the other person attacked me." He lifted his shirt, showing the scar that marred his skin.

    Will tilted his head. "No one on this ship has the skill for that, and it'd be nearly impossible for you to do that yourself-"

    "Lilah did it. Apparently she used to help at an infirmary in her town." 

    Emily nodded. "Makes sense." She chuckled walking over to me. "And you must be Lilah."

    I just nodded, watching her.

    She grinned. "I think, that we're gonna be friends."

    "Oh gods." A chuckle. Will.